No evidence Maui wildfires intentionally set in 'land grab,' contrary to posts | Fact check

Isabella Fertel, USA TODAY
·5 min read
22

The claim: Maui wildfires were intentionally set in a ‘land grab’

An Aug. 15 Instagram post (direct link, archived link) includes a video of victims fleeing the wildfires in Maui.

"You just witnessed the biggest land grab of your lifetime," reads the text in the post.

It goes on to make an array of other claims, about school being canceled, alarms not sounding, phone alert systems not being used, donations being confiscated and officials denying aid to those who were "not compliant."

The post garnered more than 400 likes in five days. Other versions of the post continue to circulate on Instagram.

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Our rating: False

The post gets multiple elements of the claim wrong. There is no evidence that the Maui wildfires were intentionally set – as part of a "land grab" effort or otherwise. The cause of the fires has not yet been determined, but officials say red flag conditions and strong winds from nearby Hurricane Dora are likely factors.

Red Flag conditions created fire risk, fueled blazed

Wildfires on Maui, Hawaii’s second largest island, have killed at least 114 people and destroyed upwards of 2,800 structures across the island since Aug. 8.

The blaze – now the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century – prompted Hawaii to declare a state of emergency on Aug. 9.

USA TODAY has previously reported that a combination of weather and climate-related factors created what the National Weather Service calls “red flag” conditions that can lead to an increased risk of fires. Those factors include gusting winds (fueled by nearby Hurricane Dora), low humidity, lack of rainfall and dry vegetation.

Fact check: No, Maui fires not linked to energy weapons, AI, smart cities, weather modification

The exact impetus of the fires is still being investigated, according to Hawaii Department of Defense spokesperson Jeffrey Hickman. But Hickman told USA TODAY in an email the claim that the fires were deliberately set is a baseless “social media narrative.”

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green’s office previously told the Associated Press there is “no truth to the horrendous assertion that the fires were deliberately set.” Green has also vowed to protect residents from predatory land grabs, urging outsiders not to try purchasing properties damaged by the fire and pursuing a moratorium on land transactions.

Local conditions not evidence of 'land grab'

The minute-long video included numerous other false and misleading claims:

  • Claim: School was canceled | Missing context – The Hawaii State Department of Education closed four schools in West Maui on Aug. 8 due to “unsafe conditions caused by heavy winds, including flying debris, downed power poles and trees,” according to a press release.

  • Claim: Officials didn’t utilize alarm system | Missing context – Then-administrator of the Maui Emergency Management Agency Herman Andaya previously told USA TODAY he decided not to sound the sirens because he feared residents would have fled inland toward the flames. Andaya told USA TODAY the sirens are mostly used to signal a tsunami and that the “public is trained to seek higher ground in the event that the siren is sounded." Andaya has since resigned.

  • Claim: Officials didn’t utilize phone alert systems | False – NBC News reported that residents were notified by emergency warnings sent to mobile devices. Other alerts were broadcast on local radio and television stations and sent through Maui County’s opt-in resident notification system.

  • Claim: Donations were confiscated and withheld from fire victims | False – Jeremy Edwards, spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said the claim was “absolutely false.” Hickman also confirmed the state had “not heard any reports of donations being confiscated.” FEMA is coordinating donations with an array of other nonprofits and volunteer groups, including the Red Cross.

  • Claim: FEMA is denying aid and shelter to those who are “not compliant” | False – Edwards said the claim was “absolutely false.” FEMA has created a webpage for victims addressing other misinformation circulating online after the fires.

Fact check: Obama's Hawaii estate untouched by Maui fire because it's in Oahu

USA TODAY reached out to the Instagram user who shared the post but did not receive an immediate response.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: False claim Hawaii wildfires intentionally set | Fact check